Ernest Joseph Rowley

Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Mr. E. J. Rowley was appointed the Official GTPR photographer,
And Jan 16, 1907 left to Prince Rupert, for 4-6 weeks, to photograph the Townsite and area around it,
for the Company Promotional Literature.

His Business address, 723 Georgia St. Vancouver BC,
His Residence was at 1367 Georgia, Vancouver, in 1907.

Before Vancouver, he was in business in Toronto.

He photographed Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Administrators of the Province of Ontario, and other famous people.
In 1902 he charged the Lieutenant Governor's office in ON, $25.00.

E. J. Rowley's Photograph Logo
435 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON

Ernest Joseph Rowley
b- Feb 3, 1874 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England
(birth registered Jan-Mar 1874 in Coventry)
d- before 1921, Gertrude his wife, shown as a widow in 1921
I can't find where Ernest died for sure, probably Vancouver, but I just don't know for sure.

*Joseph married (2) Daisy May Kitchen, Jan 29, 1902, York, ON
b- May 1880 in Beverley, ON
d-
daughter of William Henry Kitchen and Hannah Malvina B. Stickle
He was age 51, she was age 22.
(see more Daisy info below)

Ernest married Florence Mary “Gertrude” McMillan, June 9, 1897, Dufferin ON
b- Mar 4, 1878 in Oshawa ON (says USA in 1901 census?)
d- aft 1921
daughter of James McMillan, b- Scotland
and Jane Thompson, b- England
Shown as a widow in 1921,
living with son Gordon Wilford Rowley in Vancouver BC
She is shown as Gertrude M. Rowley, age 42
Her and her son are shown as Christian Scientist,
Her occupation in 1921- Stenographer, Electric Co.

Ernest and Gertrude's son- Gordon Wilford Rowley
b- Dec 11, 1898 in Toronto, ON
d- In USA I would guess, possibly San Francisco
Enlisted in WWI, Apr 4, 1916, shown born Mar 11, 1898.
Reg # 911797
Living in New Westminster BC, mother, same address, next of kin.
1921 he was a student in Penticton BC, Chemical Engineer.
Lived in San Francisco, USA from 1924-1935
Feb 26, 1940 he became a US Naturalized citizen
Gordon's Wife- Lillian nee ?, in 1935

Family in Toronto ON in 1901, Ernest shown as a Photographer.
1891 he is shown as working at J. Rowley & Co. at 420 Spadina, Toronto
with *Joseph Rowley, (J Rowley & Co.), home 420 Spadina,
J. Rowley & Co. -Josiah Rowley and Austin W. Paroissine, Jewellers, 420 Spadina
In 1897 when Ernest married he was shown as a Watchmaker and Jeweller.
1897 directory says he was a watchmaker for J. Rowley & Co., 13 Oxford, Toronto
and *Joseph Rowley listed under J Rowley & Co.
In 1900 Ernest won the Grand Prize in the Pacific Exhibition
1906-1907 Photographer in Montreal with Rowley & Barnes
He was regarded as one of the best known Photographers in the Dominion.
siblings of Ernest, in 1881 UK census:

May 2, 1881, *Joseph, Louise, Minnie, Ernest and Christine
all travelled to Canada on SS Polynesian to Quebec City from Liverpool.

They had another son Fred Rowley,
b- 1883 (see next comment)
and a daughter Annie Rowley,
b- 1884

1911 his father shown married to Daisy May Kitchen
living in Toronto.
with them a son: Frederick John “Fred” Rowley,
b- Mar 5, 1883, in Meaford, ON
d- Nov 23, 1940 in Toronto ON
buried in Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto ON
and Frederick John Rowley's family,
wife Elizabeth “Annie” Peel, b- Brantford, ON,
Annie age 23 when she married, June 10, 1907 in Toronto ON
daughter of Walter K. Peel and Margaret Lee
Fred and Annie's son Frederick Wilford Rowley
b- Aug 12 1926
d- June 6, 1954
and daughter Louise Rowley
Fred SR. was an artist at an Engineering Co.
when he married he was age 24, Photo engraver, born Meaford

*Joseph, his father, operated a jewellery pawn shop in Summerland BC ca 1921,
and here *Joseph age 73, is living with a wife named Daisy May Rowley, age 40.
She was Asst. Post Mistress there at that time.
Father shown as a jeweller and optician in Summerland in 1920
His Jewellery store had a major fire Nov 1918.

Grandfather- John Rowley,
b- 1814, from Atherstone, Warwickshire, England
d- 1869 in Coventry, Warwickshire
shown as a hair dresser in 1861, age 41,
living at 50 Thomas st., Coventry, St Michael Parish
Grandmother- Elizabeth Thompson
b- ca 1820, Litchfield, shown as a seamstress in 1861, age 41
1851 same address, shown as born Barton Stafford
d- 1896 in Coventry, Warwickshire
John and Elizabeth were married Jan 28, 1839 at St. Michael, Coventry

John and Elizabeth Rowley had more sons, brothers of Joseph
Henry Bates Rowley
b- 1840 in Coventry, Warwickshire, England
d- 1890
Henry married Margaret Timms
Henry shown as a watch finisher in 1861, age 22

1814 -Jurors list shows Occupational records in Atherstone, Hundred of Hemlingford, Warwickshire.
William Rowley is shown as a victualler
William Rowley shown as a Silk Weaver
Joseph Rowley a Hair Dresser

found a William Rowley, died Mar 6, 1869
died at “The Gun Barrel Makers Arms”, Bath st., Birmingham England,
where he was a victualler. Mary Rowley was executrix and widow.

1818- Thomas Rowley shown as a ribbon Manufacturer
William Rowley same
and others above the same as 1814

1835 Joseph Rowley appears in Poll Registers in Atherstone
other Rowleys shown, Thomas Rowley and 2 William Rowleys.
No known relationship on last 3.

Thomas Rowley shown in 1841 age 25, Hair dresser, wife Ann, age 25,
son Joseph, age 14, all in Atherstone
a Thomas Rowley died May 16, 1867 at Atherstone, shown as a grocer when he died.
another Thomas Rowley died Mar 31, 1868 at Ratcliffe RD, Atherstone
son Arthur Rowley was a plumber and glazier at Athelstone

1851- Joseph is shown age 56, journeyman Hatter
visiting with Josiah Rowley, age 25, Coal Miner, born in Warwickshire
and his wife Mary Rowley, age 24
and a George Rowley, age 26 living with Josiah
His 2 sons?

1861- Joseph shown as a Hat maker, age 67, in Atherstone
wife- Sarah shown as age 49, born in Wilnecott, Warwickshire
daughter- Rebecca Rowley,
b- ca 1856 in Atherstone, Warwickshire, age 5

1871- Joseph Rowley shown age 77, born in Atherstone
married to Sarah Rowley, nee ?, age 57, b- in Wilnecott Warwickshire

The Rowley family are an old family in the Coventry, Atherstone area, and possibly the reason Ernest might have returned here.
Did he possibly inherit some land from an ancestor? All we know he was a great photographer.

Below is a small sample of some of his photos:

3 Kittens
He became famous for a series of pictures of kittens and cats